Mark Webber backs F1 Red Bull Racing charity

Items worn and used by both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in the 2011 Formula One season are going under the hammer on Thursday to raise money for charity.

“What is different about this auction is that [the material] is fresh to the market,” explains Toby Wilson, the head of Automobilia at Bonhamsauction house, which is hosting the event. “It is from this season and comes on the back of Red Bull’s second constructors championship and on the back of Vettel’s second world championship.”

Such a collection has not been seen before, and estimates for the items range from as little as £150 to as much as £5,000, but the level of enthusiasm already being expressed could easily push the sale prices much higher.

Money raised by the auction, which is being held at Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge, Surrey, will go to the Wings For Life spinal cord research charity, which is dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury. It is estimated that there are 2.7 million people worldwide who are living with spinal cord injury, and there are 130,000 new people affected every year. The foundation was established in Europe in 2004 by Red Bull's CEO Dietrich Mateschitz and the two-time motocross world champion Heinz Kinigadner, and was first registered in the UK in 2010.

Those interested in bidding online will have to register online before the day. There will be a live video feed on the Bonhams' website, and the auction itself is open to visitors. Even if you can't buy, you can touch, points out Mr Wilson: "You can handle all the items... come and touch a piece of Formula One greatness."